Canada's new government to ban inefficient light bulbs

April 25, 2007

The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, joined by the Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, announced today that Canada’s New Government is taking another important step to protect the environment and the health of Canadians by introducing national standards for lighting efficiency to come into force by 2012.

"Making the switch to more efficient lighting is one of the easiest and most effective things we can do to reduce energy use and harmful emissions," said Minister Lunn. "The introduction of these standards will lead to a strong national policy for lighting efficiency to complement actions taken by provinces and territories."

Canada is the second country to introduce such standards. Today’s announcement addresses a broader range of lighting products, providing a substantial environmental benefit and allowing Canadians to see real savings on their energy costs.

"Canada’s New Government is serious about tackling climate change, but we can’t do it alone," said Minister Baird. "Using more energy-efficient light bulbs is a great example of a concrete action Canadians can take at home to help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and save energy."

The national standards for lighting efficiency will be implemented through existing mechanisms, including the Regulations of Canada’s Energy Efficiency Act, and developed with industry and provincial and territorial governments, several of which have already announced their support for such a move. It is expected the Canadian regulations will be established by the end of this year, with the phase-out of inefficient incandescent lighting in common uses completed by 2012.

"The environmental benefits are clear. By banning inefficient lighting, we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6 million tonnes per year," added Minister Lunn. "More than that, these new standards will help reduce the average household electricity bill by approximately $50 a year."

The ban on inefficient bulbs will include allowances for applications where incandescents are still the only practical alternative, such as in some medical lighting situations, oven lights, and others.

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